Great Expectations is like Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca': it's such a good novel that no film adaptation will ever really match it. However, this is a stunning piece of cinema: a very lovingly crafted adaptation that stays very close to the book. Classic cinema of this era is usually brilliant anyway - think of the 40s and 50s adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, And Then There Were None, Jane Eyre, Les Misérables, etc - and this film is no exception.
Unusually, whereas many literary adaptations of this era tend to make the story more farcical, this film is rigorously faithful to both tone and plot of the book, even including small touches I was not expecting to be included: e.g. The twist about who 'Molly' is, Jagger's speech about impoverished children slipping through the cracks, etc. It also - like the Jane Eyre of this period - heightens the story's more gothic elements, which is most welcome, especially in the early scenes with Magwitch.
The police chase on the water is fantastic. That's where the novel gets really exciting, and they transpose that excitement excellently to the screen.
And it has an utterly perfect performance of Herbert Pocket from a very young (and very good-looking!) Alec Guinness.
Unusually, whereas many literary adaptations of this era tend to make the story more farcical, this film is rigorously faithful to both tone and plot of the book, even including small touches I was not expecting to be included: e.g. The twist about who 'Molly' is, Jagger's speech about impoverished children slipping through the cracks, etc. It also - like the Jane Eyre of this period - heightens the story's more gothic elements, which is most welcome, especially in the early scenes with Magwitch.
The police chase on the water is fantastic. That's where the novel gets really exciting, and they transpose that excitement excellently to the screen.
And it has an utterly perfect performance of Herbert Pocket from a very young (and very good-looking!) Alec Guinness.
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